CNI News

12 March 2024

While undocumented Myanmar people and Myanmar overstayers were going to Myanmar Embassy to apply for certificates of identity (CI) in order to go home, they were being extorted at the checkpoints on the way by Malaysian authorities, Myanmar organizations there told CNI News. 

If there were checkpoints of Malaysian authorities on the way to the Myanmar Embassy, the authorities threatened undocumented or overstayers Myanmar people that they might arrest in order to get some money, U Aung, chairman of Malaysia-based Yadana Sekka Funeral Service, told CNI News.

" If you explained your reasons to the authorities, they would release you. But you need to pay them at least about 200 ringgits. They tend to threaten that you have no CI now. So, you are illegal. They say they can arrest you. And then, you have to pay them. Malaysian police wait and arrest at the places about five meters away from the embassy. So, we complained to the embassy about it. The embassy guaranteed that we would not be arrested in the compound of the embassy." he said.

While seeing Myanmar workers

The Malaysian government implemented a repatriation program from March 1 for undocumented workers to return home without being prosecuted. Undocumented foreigners or overstayers can return to their home countries after paying a fine of 500 ringgits only when they got CI from the embassies of their countries.

However, the reason why Myanmar citizens were being asked money was because Myanmar Embassy has designated the process in which CI must be applied in person, U Nyi Nyi Lwin, director general of the Center for Arakan Refugees (CAR) told CNI News.

"The number of Bangladeshi people who returned to their country are more than Myanmar people. But Bangladeshi people can apply for CI through online. They don't have to come to their embassy in person. So, they can get CIs ASAP. If you have held your CI, you won't be arrested. If you travel without CI, you can find it difficult on the way." he said.

Although Malaysian authorities have designated to implement the repatriation program from 1st March to the end of December, the number of Myanmar people who return to their home country still has been few and the ill only are making preparations to go home reportedly.